Remotely controlled flow valve operating tool



A. BOYNTON April 17, 1945.

REMOTELY CONTROLLED FLOW VALVE OPERATING TOOL Original Filed Dec. 6, 1941 Hume/Win11 A Zexanderfloynion l L W 5 3 may vary from 300 to 500 feet. Well conditions will control the number of devices which should be placed in any series, three to five devices in a series ordinarily being satisfactory,

Operation, Fig. 1

In the form of the invention shown, the guide pins lo and lo contacted alternately by the upper upward and released to be returned by the spring I 5, the shell 3 and the valve I I will describe a one-half rotation about the nipple I thereby opening the valve if it be closed, or closing the valve if it be open.

For example, the valve ll being open as in Fig. 1 with the guide pin lc in the slot 2a and the guide pin Ic in the slot 2e, to close the valve proceed as follows: Raise the actuator pins 8 and 8' until the lower inclined cam surface 2b contacts the guide pin lo and the lower inclined cam surface 2f contacts the guide pin lc'. These surfaces will rotate the actuator until the guide pin Ic will be contained in the pocket and the guide pin lc will be contained in the pocket 2g. Then, release the pins 8 and 8'; whereupon the spring 15 will force the actuator downward until the upper inclined cam surface 2d will guide the pin lc into the slot 2e and the upper inclined cam surface 271. will guide the pin I c into slot 2a. The valve I I will be closed then.

The sleeve valve l I being closed with the guide pin la in the slot 2e and the guide pin lc' in the slot 2a, to open the valve proceed as follows: Raise the actuator pins 8 and 8' until the lower inclined cam surface 2 contacts the guide pin lo, and the lower inclined cam surface 2b contacts the guide pin lc'. These cam surfaces will rotate the actuator sleeve until the guide pin lc will contact the pin pocket 29, and the guide pin lc' will contact the pin pocket 20. Then, release the pins 8 and 8; whereupon the upper inclined cam surface Zh willguide the'pin Ic, into the slot 2a and the upper inclined cam surface 2d will guide the pin Ic into the slot 2e. The sleeve valve II will be open again then, as in, Fig. l.

Manifestly, at the beginning. of the foregoing operation, if the guide pin Icshould be in the slot 2e and the pin lc' should bein the slot 2a, the operation will be soentirely similar to that described above as to be understood without further explanation.v

The operating tool pockets, and helically inclined cam surfaces formed around a one piece rod or shaft-like mem her. This tool may be lowered into the tubing by means of the cable upon which it is shown secured by the solder or babbit 36 (see Fig. 1).

When the tool 31 encounters the actuator pins 8 and 8, Fig. 1, the long entrance guide slopes or cam surfaces 31a and the short entrance guide slopes or cam surfaces 31b will rotate the tool, if necessary, to receive the pins 8 and 8' within the entrance slots 37c and 31d to engage the actuator pins upon the first upper helically inclined cam surface 31 and the third upper helically inclined cam surface 37c which will rotate the tool further to engage these pins within the first upper pin pocket 37h and the second upper pin pocket 319 which will arrest the downward movement of the tool. Then, when the tool is raised, the first lower helically inclined cam surface 3'lk and the third lower helically inclined cam surface 319' will engage the pins and rotate the tool further to engage the actuator pins within the first lower pin pocket 3': and the second lower pin pocket 31m; thus permitting the actuator to be raised by pulling upon the cable. When next the tool is lowered, the pins 8 and 8' will be contacted by the second upper helically inclined cam surface 37q and the fourth upper helically inclined cam surface 31p; whereby the tool will be rotated further so that the exit slots 3'Ir and 31s will pass over the actuator pins. The tool is ready then to be lowered to the next device of the series or to be withdrawn through the device or devices above it.

In raising the tool 3'! through the upper devices, the long upper exit guide slopes or cam surfaces 3' and the short upper exit guide slopes or cam surfaces am will rotate the tool to receive the actuator pins 8 and 8' Within the exit slots 311' or 31s. As the tool is raised further, the second lower helically inclined cam surface 3110 and the fourth lower helically inclined cam surface 370 will rotate the tool slightly to enable the slots 31c and 31d to clear the pins.

In this construction employing two actuator pins, it will be observed that the long entrance guide slopes or cam surfaces 37a extend somewhat below the other short entranceguide slopes or cam surfaces 31b and that the long exit guide slopes 3'lt extend somewhat above their companion short slopes 3'lu. This one longer pair of guide slopes above and below the slots, pockets, and inclined cam surfaces provides that the tool, while traveling upward or downward, never can become impinged upon the same sides of the two actuator pins, the longer slopes serving as pilots to prevent such impingement. However, if the guide slopes are of equal length, the tool will function when so made.

While I have shown upper and lower pin pockets in the operating tool 31, it wil be understood that these pockets are not essential and that they may be omitted without impairing the operation of the tool.

The operating tool, free to be rotated, thereby slightly twisting the proximate portion of the cable with it, is shunted axially by its inclined surfaces contacting the actuator pins 8 and 8', whereby the tool, as it is reciprocated, alternately engages and releases these pins. After each pull upon these pins, the tool may be lowered through the device and then withdrawn from the well or it may be lowered to the next device for similar action.

It will be noted that one cable pull upon the tool 31 will change the device from open to closed, and vice versa. Manifestly, two cable pulls,

;spaced,by a release of. the atool, will enable vthe tool to ;.be "passed through 1 any; device;

leaving that device inthe same :position as -.be,-

vfOreifleing pulledup n. the first time;;...5['hus the first pull changesthe-original conditionofzthe device, whatever it might be; but the second pull restores the device to itsJoriginal cpndition. ,change in the device-is only temporary and'of I The outstanding operative charaeteris oft-the tool 3'! isas follows: It will'land upon each device pon. wh c it-is lowered. Thea 911611 1 iupon thetool will open the device, if plosedor closethe device, if open. The tool maybe lowert d through the device which; has'last'b'een pulled upon, after which it may be either raised out of the well or lowered to the next device to open it if closed or to close it if open, as was stated for the action of the tool upon the valve above.

For illustration, it will be assumed that there are several devices in a well, and that the upper device is open, all other devices being closed. Now, to close the upper device and open the third device for example, proceed as follows: Lower the operating tool 31 until it contacts the upper device and pull once. That will close the upper device. Then, vice which is closed and which it is desired to leave closed. Pull'upon this device twice. In doing so, land the tool upon the device and pull once.- Then lower the tool through it and raise the tool above it. Then lower the tool upon the device again and ull once more. Then lower the tool through the device which will leave it closed. Lower the tool upon thethird device which is closed and pull once. That will open it. The tool may be withdrawn through the upper devices without stopping and without changing any one of the valve positions.

It will be understood that all references to positions and directions such as upper and lower, upward and downward, above and below apply to the device as illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein the upper portion of the device is. shown uppermost and that such references are made for convenience of description only without any expressed or implied intentions to limit the invention.

What I claim is: v I v 1. An operating tool for remotely controlled flow devicessaid tool comprising: a shaft-like rod member having a pair of opposite entrance guide slops, one long and the other short, proximate one end of the rod, a pair of opposite exit guide slopes, one long and the other short, prOXi mate the other end of saidrod, a pair of opposite entrance slots between said entrance guide slopes, a pair of opposite exit slots between said exit guide slopes, said entrance and exit slots being in offset relation to each other, a peripheral slot around said rod and between said guide slopes,

said slot forming, an upper and a lower opposed series of helically inclined cam surfaces in offset relation to each other, the cam surfaces of one series sloping in the same direction and the cam surfaces of the other series sloping in the reverse direction; and two opposite upper and two opposite lower pin pockets, each at the outer end of one said surface, each said upper pocket confronting one said lower inclined cam surface, each said lower pocket confronting one said upper inclined cam surface, said entrance slots each confronting one said upper inclined cam surface,

lower the tool to the second de-- thereby proximate one site exit guide slopes, onev long and each said exit slot; confronting. one said lower inclinedxcam surface; and meansffoi'rsecuring one end of said shaftelike rod-member to aecable.

2. An operating tooliforgremotely controlled flow devices, said tool .comprising: ashaftelike ,rod member formed witha pairof .oppositeentrance guide slopes, one longand the other short,

end of said rod, a pair of ,oppoand. the :other short, proximate the other end'of said'rod; a pair of opposite entrance slots between said entrance guideslopes, a pair of opposite exit slots'ibetween said exit guide slopes, said entrance and exit slots being in offset .relation'to eachothenga peripheral slot around said rod and between said: guide :slopes, said slot forming, upper and lower Jopposed series of helicallyinclined camsurfaces, said upper series consisting of first, second, third, and fourth inclined cam surfaces, said lower series comprising first, second, third, and fourth inclined cam surfaces, said upper cam surfaces sloping in one direction, said lower cam surfaces sloping in the reverse direction, said upper and lower cam surfaces being in offset relation to each other; first and second upper pin pockets between adjacent said upper cam surfaces; and first and second lower pin pockets between adjacent said lower cam surfaces, said entrance slots confronting the first and third said upper cam surfaces, said exit slots confronting the second and fourth said lower cam surfaces, said upper pockets confronting said first and third said lower cam surfaces, and said lower pockets confronting said second and fourth upper cam surfaces; and means for securing one end of said opposite sides of said rod and between onepair of said slots, said cam surfaces sloping in one direction; and two pairs of lower inclined cam surfaces, there being a pair of'said lower cam surfaces upon each of opposite sides of said rod and between the other pair of said slots, said lower'cam surfaces sloping in reverse direction from the upper, said upper and lower cam surfaces being staggered with respect to one another, said upper and lower cam surfaces being spaced from and facing each other.

4. In an operating tool for remotely controlled valves having pins: a shaft-like rod member having an enlarged portion separated into two portions by a peripheral slot, said slot forming a series of upper and lower inclined cam surfaces further separated into pairs by a pair of upper and lower oppositely positioned slots, said enlarged portion having a pair of oppositely posiitioned guide slopes upon each End and cooperative to guide said pins into said slots as said tool is moved relative to said pins, said upper and lower cam surfaces and slots being staggered with respect to one another.

longitudinal pin passages, the enlargements of the lower pair being spaced apart to provide two longitudinal pin passages, the upper enlargements each having a pair of converging pin guide slopes, each of the lower enlargements having a pair of converging pin guide slopes, each pair of enlargements having portions opposite one another, which portions are provided with pairs of inclined cam surfaces separated by longitudinal pin-receiving recesses, for purposes described.

6. An operating tool for remotely controlled valves having pins: a rod-like member having two annularly disposed enlargements spaced apart to provide an annular continuous passage, one of said enlargements comprising two elements separated from one another by two longitudinal pin-passing passages communicating with said annular passage; said two elements each having an upper pair of converging guide surfaces and a pair of lower cam surfaces separated by longitudinal pin pockets communicating with said annular passage; the other enlargement comprising two elements separated from one another by pinpassing longitudinal passages communicating with said annular passage and staggered with respect to the first mentioned longitudinal pinpassing passages; said other two elements each having a lower pair of converging guide surfaces and an upper pair of cam members separated by longitudinal pin pockets staggered with respect to said first mentioned longitudinal pin pockets and communicating with said annular passage for purposes described.

ALEXANDER BOYNTON 

